TODAY’S GAME
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Texans at Browns, 1 p.m., CBS, 1290, 95.7 watched in ’64 and I want to see one before [I die].’
“I was like, ‘Oh, gosh, that’s a lot of pressure,’ but you get excited about it. It’s really exciting to be a part of it. I’ve been here long enough now that you’ve seen the lows, but it’s good to be around hopefully some highs and we can get them a win.”
Bitonio said 1964 and the 1980s teams that went to three AFC Championships in four years with quarterback Bernie Kosar dominate his conversations with fans.
“Those guys have these memories of their families with people in their past and they want to have those memories with their kids now,” Bitonio said. “It’s just cool how much tradition there is throughout the Cleve- land Browns.”
Bitonio is the longest-tenured Brown, drafted 35th overall in 2014. Before last season, Bitonio’s teams went 24-71-1, including a 1-31 stretch in 2016-17.
He is eager for coach Kevin Stefanski to hear Cleveland fans at their loudest. In Stefanski’s first season in 2020, Firstenergy Stadium capacity was capped at 12,000 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think it’s going to be a packed house,” Bitonio said. “I’ve heard it loud a few times, but I think if we make some big plays, I don’t know if we’ve heard it as loud as it’sgoing to be. When the defense is out there, I expect to not be able to hear JC [Tretter] or Jed [Wills] or whoever on the bench.”
Bitonio doesn’t think last Sunday’s 33-29 season-opening loss at Kansas City will affect the noise level.
“I know they were excited last week, but we came up a little short, but you kind of feel it already throughout the town,” Bitonio said. “I feel like it’s kinda been boil- ing over and it’s our first big chance to — especially with Stefanski, he hasn’t really even seen the fans — so I think they’re going to try and impress him as well.”
Perhaps fearing the Browns will overlook the Texans, Stefanski emphasized the importance of today’s game, and Friday he chal- lenged fans to do their part. He spoke directly to those who tailgate in the infamous Cleveland Municipal parking lot.
“Really excited to see that place at full capacity,” Stefanski said. “I’ve heard the stories, so I’m looking forward to all of northeast Ohio coming out for this game. I [want] to get the message out that coach Stefanski wants you in your seats when kick- off hits, there are no empty seats. And I want a full- throated effort for 60 min- utes. So get out of the Muni lot, get in your seat, you can go back to the Muni lot after the game.
“You make a difference, and I really believe that. The home-field advantage in the NFL is just such a big deal and I think our fans make a dif- ference. You talk about third down, fourth down, we’ll be looking for any delays of game from them or false starts, those sorts of things have a direct correlation to our crowd. Then when we’re on offense, looking to hear a pin drop. Excited to experi- ence that for the first time.”
Stefanski came to Firsten- ergy Stadium for the 2009 season opener in his first year as assistant quarterbacks coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
“It was [Brett] Favre’s first game, so that was unique. I remember Percy Harvin had a touchdown,” Stefanski said.
His memory wasonpoint. Hall of Fame-bound Favre, in his 19th of 20 NFL seasons, threw for 110 yards and was sacked four times in the Vikings’ 34-20 victory, with his lone touchdown pass a 6-yarder to Harvin.
“I don’t remember much of it from the experience, I was probably charting plays. Nose down in the chart and I had the pencil going,” Stefanski said.
But he added, “That’s a unique experience down there on the lake and I’m looking forward to that being a big part of how we win.”
Rookie receiver Anthony Schwartz said he’s heard from teammates how fun today’s atmosphere will be. He got a taste of that last weekend from the crowd of 72,973 in Arrowhead Stadium.
After undergoing renova- tion, Firstenergy Stadium seats 67,431.
“I’m expecting that this week from the home crowd,” Schwartz said in reference to Kansas City. “If I know Cleve- land, the stuff I’ve seen so far, they’ve been amazing, great fanbase. They love Browns football and I just can’t wait to go out there and play in front of them.”
NORMAN, OKLA. — Spencer Rattler passed for a touch- down and ran for another, and No. 3 Oklahoma held on to beat Nebraska 23-16 on Saturday.
Celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the “Game of the Century” — No. 1 Nebraska’s 35-31 win over No. 2 Okla- homa in 1971 — the teams rewarded their nostalgic fans with a competitive contest.
In the first meeting between the former conference rivals since 2010, Nebraska (2-2) got the ball trailing by a touchdown with 57 seconds remain- ing and no timeouts. The Cornhuskers could not manage a first down.
Eric Gray ran for 84 yards on 15 carries and Kennedy Brooks added75yards on 14 attempts for the Sooners (3-0).
■No. 7 Texas A&M 34, New Mexico 0: Zach Calzada threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start. The victory extends A&M’S winning streak to 11 games and gives the Aggies a 3-0 start for the first time since opening the 2016 season with six consecutive wins.
■West Virginia 27, No. 15 Virginia Tech 21: Jarret Doege threw two touchdown passes, Leddie Brown rushed for 106 yards and a score and West Virginia survived Virginia Tech’s furious rally from a 20-point deficit.
The Mountaineers (2-1) built a 27-7-point lead midway through the third quarter but saw that mostly evaporate due to Virginia Tech’s (2-1) Braxton Burmeister.
■ Michigan State 38, No. 24 Miami 17: Payton Thorne passed for 261 yards and four touchdowns, two of those scoring throws going to Jalen Nailor.
Kenneth Walker III rushed for 172 yards and caught a touchdown pass for the Spartans (3-0),who are off to their best start since 2015.
■ No. 25 Michigan 63, Northern Illinois 10: Blake Corum rushed for 123 yards and three touchdowns. The Wolverines (3- 0) scored touchdowns on their first nine drives, eight of them on the ground.